My favourite photos from our recent visit to Prince Edward Island National Park.
Prince Edward Island National Park of Canada, located along the north shore of the island, extends approximately 40km from Cavendish to Dalvay and is home to sandstone cliffs, beaches, sand dunes, wetlands and forests as well as two important cultural sites.
Our family has vacationed on Prince Edward Island ten times and I don’t think that I will ever grow tired of the incredible beauty of the National Park. These are my favourite photos from a recent visit.
Cavendish Beach
The National Park is one of the best places to see the scenic red sandstone cliffs and white sand beaches for which Prince Edward Island is known. These first few photos were taken on Cavendish Beach which is just a short walk from our rental cottage.
Sand dunes throughout the National Park were created from eroding sandstone and over time the growth of marram grass has stabilized the dunes and created a natural habitat for many different plants and animals. The dunes are a fragile environment though and it’s important for visitors to keep to marked trails and refrain from walking on the easily-damaged grass. Sadly, I have observed people ignoring the posted warnings and walking on the dunes anyway every time that I have visited the park.
One of my favourite places to walk is the Cavendish Dunelands Trail which provides excellent views of the dunes and also of the wetlands from a floating boardwalk.
Green Gables Heritage Place
Each year fans of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s classic novel, Anne of Green Gables, visit Prince Edward Island to see the setting that inspired her to write about the fictional village of Avonlea and a redheaded orphan.
Montgomery was recognized as a person of historical significance after her death and in 2004 Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Cavendish National Historic Site was designated. The National Historic Site is located within PEI National Park and encompasses both Green Gables Heritage Place and the Site of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Cavendish Home. Green Gables Heritage Place, which was the home of one of her cousins, has been restored to the period of the late 1800s in order to reflect the time period of the novel.
We are huge fans of Anne of Green Gables so this is a mandatory visit for us when we are on the island.
Read The Ultimate Guide to Prince Edward Island for Fans of Anne of Green Gables
Cavendish Ocean Lookout
A bit further down the road from the Cavendish Beach area, there is an area where visitors can park and walk to the Cavendish Ocean Lookout for spectacular views of the ocean and the sandstone cliffs.
North Rustico Beach
The North Rustico beach, also located within the National Park, is just a few kilometres from Cavendish. North Rustico itself is a traditional fishing community and home to the world-famous Fisherman’s Wharf Lobster Suppers.
Covehead Harbour
The Covehead Harbour Lighthouse, located beside the entrance to Covehead Bay within the National Park, was built in 1967. A plaque on the side of the lighthouse describes the Yankee Gale of 1851, considered to be one of the strongest and most destructive storms ever to hit Maritime Canada, and remembers the ninety ships and 160 men that were lost.
Read 9 Beautiful Must-See Lighthouses on Prince Edward Island
Dalvay-by-the-Sea
The ocean-front beach resort Dalvay-by-the-Sea is also a National Historic Site of Canada located within Prince Edward Island National Park. The house was built in 1895 by Alexander MacDonald who named it after his boyhood home in Scotland. Fans of the Anne of Green Gables movies and the Road to Avonlea television series may recognize it as the White Sands Hotel. Prince William and Duchess Kate also visited here on their Canadian royal honeymoon trip in 2011. Our family tradition is to dine in the MacMillan Dining Room here on our last night on the island.
What You Need To Know
- Directions to the park are available on the Parks Canada website.
- Most park facilities are open mid-May through mid-October. Full services in July and August, limited services in May-June and September-October.
- Entry fees, camping fees and fees for special programs are listed on the Parks Canada website.
- There are 7 supervised beaches within the park – facilities vary depending on location.
- Children aged 6 to 11 can participate in the Parks Canada Xplorers program (included with entry fee). Upon completion of an activity booklet they will receive a certificate and special souvenir.
- Activities available within the park include: bird watching; camping; cycling; fishing; geocaching; hiking; canoeing/kayaking; and more.
- The Green Gables property and the Dalvay-by-the-Sea National Historic Site are both located within the park.
Related Articles
25 Fun Things To Do in Prince Edward Island on Your Summer Vacation
9 Beautiful Must-See Lighthouses on Prince Edward Island
The Ultimate Guide to Prince Edward Island for Fans of Anne of Green Gables
10 Things To Do on Prince Edward Island’s North Cape Coastal Drive
5 Fun Things To Do in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island with Kids
Family Memories and Prince Edward Island
Cavendish, Prince Edward Island with Kids
Lesley Peterson
Lovely photos, Lisa. I especially like the photo of the Cavendish Dunelands Trail – I’d love to explore the dunes and wetlands from a weathered wood boardwalk or visit the Covehead lighthouse. PEI is exceptionally picturesque!
Mary {The World Is A Book}
You always inspire me to visit PEI every time you post photos from there. I’ve been particularly drawn to this National Park since it’s a bit different to our national parks here. We don’t have the red sandstone cliffs and white sand beaches all in one park. Beautiful photos especially that Dunelands trail one – it looks like a painting. I can see why you’d return here again and again.
Michele {Malaysian Meanders}
No ice cream photos?? For some reason, I have neither read Anne of Greene Gables nor watched the movies. My girl is just the right age to enjoy it, so I think it would make a good read aloud book to share. Then, I will have laid the groundwork for a future visit to PEI. A stop at Dalvay-by-the-Sea and the Dune Trails would definitely be on the itinerary.
Jazza - NOMADasaurus
It was so great reading your article! Took me back to our time in PEI. We bathed in the sea at Cavendish beach in October because we were living out of a van and had not showered in days. It was cold, but the faces on people walking by was worth it! Cheers for sharing your favourite spots on the island with us.
Cathy Sweeney
You’ve made me nostalgic this morning. I loved “Anne of Green Gables” and can remember reading it as if it was yesterday. Also, I remember visiting PEI when I was about 6, I think — before I knew of Anne. I have a photo of being on the ferry over to the island. Pretty photos, Lisa. I’d like to get back there sometime.
twitter.com/tgruber
Beautiful! I know my mom would like to take a road trip to PEI and Nova Scotia someday so I really need to start planning that before too many more years go by.
Freya
What a beautiful place, I would love to visit one day ! The Ocean lookout is stunning
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thank you, Lesley! The island is truly a beautiful place to explore!!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Eventually you are going to have to plan a trip to PEI, Mary, and we’ll meet you there! PEI National Park is stunning – I’m sure you would be impressed!
Shere
i love the instagram picture with teh bridge!!
Shere y Paul
WorkMomTravels
Lisa, I know you know of my obsession and desire to get to PEI. This post doesn’t help 😉 Lovely photos. I can see why your family has traveled there eight times!
Leigh
Did you visit the Greenwich Section of the National Park? I found the boardwalk/dunes/beach combo there very appealing. I do see a photo of the Cavendish Dunelands Trail – which I missed when I was there last.
I don’t think you can beat PEI for a great family vacation.
Adelina // Pack Me To
So gorgeous! I really want to go to PEI. I loved Anne of Green Gables growing up and I want to see the island that inspired it all. Plus Green Gables of course 🙂
Marisol@TravelingSolemates
Hi Lisa, so lucky of your family to have vacationed in this spectacular place so many times. It’s looks so beautiful and so much to offer that I can se why you will return again and again. The lovely cove alone is worth going back to. And oh, the lobster place is great bonus!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Sadly, Michele, there is no Cows Ice Cream outlet inside the National Park! You should definitely read Anne of Green Gables with your daughter – Anne is a fun, spunky character and I’m sure you both will enjoy the story!
Lisa Goodmurphy
I’m sure they must have been surprised! Although it could not have been as shocking as what we experienced on our recent trip when a young boy dropped his swim trunks in front of us to take a pee on the beach after his parents had directed him to go in the ocean!!
Lisa Goodmurphy
You must get back, Cathy, it’s such a beautiful island and you would enjoy the Anne sites so much!
Lisa Goodmurphy
PEI is perfect for multi-generational trips! We vacationed there with my inlaws many years ago and had a wonderful time. I’m sure your mom would love it!
Lisa Goodmurphy
This was the first time that we had ever visited that ocean lookout, Freya, and I was blown away by how incredibly beautiful it was!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thanks, Shere, that’s one of my favourites too! 🙂
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thanks! I hope you get there soon – your family will love the island!
Lisa Goodmurphy
We haven’t been to the Greenwich section of the park yet, Leigh. We stay quite close to Cavendish Beach so we have spent most of our time there and then driving between there and Dalvay. I plan to explore more on the next trip!
Lisa Goodmurphy
If you loved the Anne of Green Gables books then you will love PEI – it’s like the books have come to life plus there is so much more!!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Marisol, we are indeed lucky to have been able to visit PEI so many times as a family. And I love that my kids have such great memories of these vacations that they plan to visit with their kids when they have families of their own as well!
Candy Cook
Terrific photos & love the “What you need to know” tips!! This sounds like a great place to visit. Wish I was closer to Canada. LOL